More than 100 teen victims of sex trafficking ring rescued by FBI

Raids in 76 cities across the United States have led to the rescue of more than 100 teenagers who were victims of a massive sex trafficking ring, according to NBC News.

According to an FBI press release, 47 FBI divisions nationwide were part of the operation that led to the recovery
of 105 children who were being victimized through prostitution.
Additionally, 150 pimps were arrested on state and federal charges.

The youngest child rescued was 13. One underage victim told officials she became involved with prostitution when she was 11, according to CNN story. A story from Reuters says one victim became involved at the age of 9.

The CNN story quoted FBI Acting Executive
Assistant Director Kevin Perkins as saying, "Many times the children that are taken in in these types of criminal
activities are children that are disaffected, they are from broken
homes, they may be on the street themselves. They
are really looking for a meal, they are looking for shelter, they are
looking for someone to take care of them."

The raids resulted in the arrest of 150 “pimps” involved in the commercial exploitation of both adults and children, Ronald Hosko, assistant director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's criminal investigative division told NBC.

It was the largest action to date by the Bureau focusing on the recovery of sexually exploited children, Hosko said. Hosko also said the pimps used the classified website Backpage to attract some of the children.

Last year, the Village Voice, which publishes 13 alternative weekly newspapers including the Village Voice and LA Weekly, publicly cut ties with the website thought to be the leading destination for prostitution ads after Craigslistshutdownitsown“adultservices”section.